Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

In most mechanical keyboards, whether based with Cherry MX, Kailh, Topre, or any of the ones used out there, actuation distance has been pretty constant across all switches. Not too long ago, we started seeing switches offering 1.7 to 1.8 millimeters of travel versus the standard 2.0mm offerings, but in those instances, it was hard to tell the difference between them all. Corsair has raised the bar, however, and this time around, compared to their other products, they have reduced key travel an astounding forty percent, using the newest Cherry MX switches on the market.

There are a few reasons to reduce the travel of a switch, but mainly this is done for speed, and hence the name Cherry MX Speed for these new switches. These switches are built with a clear body to allow a complete flood of LED lighting to pass through them and spill out onto the steel plate, but the gray center stems are where all of the magic happens. These switches are designed to lessen the travel to make gaming much more fun and movements and commands that much easier to obtain, which can and does increase overall ability with the inputs from the keyboard. On the flip side, for those touch typists out there who tend not to bottom out their keys as it is, this style of a switch can also increase productivity as well. Personally, we have felt this increase through the reviews we have been writing on this new keyboard, as well as almost instantaneous input during gaming.

For those of you who haven't heard, Corsair is the first to release a mechanical keyboard sporting these switches, or anything like it. Corsair is building off of what is already a very successful platform for them and have not changed a lot from when we looked at the K60 and K90 years ago. Of course, they are offering these new Cherry MX Speed switches in the Strafe RGB, the K65 RAPIDFIRE, the K70 RAPIDFIRE, and also in the K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE, which we are looking at today, but a switch change is not all they have done. This time around there is all new software at the helm of these keyboards, a larger font is in place, four feet instead of two, all of which still offering that sleek aluminum top, we have all become very accustomed to.

As all of their keyboards do, the K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE also comes with a two-year warranty covering failures or defects in workmanship. This 1.20kg mechanical keyboard uses Cherry MX Speed RGB switches and is also known as Cherry MX Grey switches outside of the Corsair realm. Of course, this keyboard offers full RGB LED backlighting, and with the software in place, only your imagination can limit the lighting effects and layouts that this keyboard can offer. This keyboard, built with a piece of plastic for the lower tray, and a brushed aluminum top plate with exposed keys measures in at 463mm wide, 165mm from front to back without the wrist rest, and stands 38mm tall without the feet extended. Any key can be set as a Macro key via software, there are selectable report rates, and a switch for BIOS use if you find incompatibility there, and it comes equipped with full anti-ghosting as well as full NKRO on USB.

The K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE is the typical size with a 140-key US layout, plus a couple of extras for multimedia control, and it comes with onboard memory to house all of the profiles and Macro commands you can dream up to use at home or on the go. We mentioned the extra multimedia keys, and they are accompanied with the volume roller-bar that we have seen on Corsair keyboards since the beginning. This model also comes with a soft touch, full length, detachable wrist rest, along with an option to raise the entire keyboard while using it, not just the back edge. To get full control of the K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE, you will need to grab the latest version of the CUE software, and connecting the keyboard to the PC is a fat cable with two USB connections on it, that allows the extra pass-through port to function too. Along with a button at the top to adjust the level of illumination, this keyboard also offers an easy to spot Windows lock-out button as well.

Along with all of the information and tutorial videos you can find for the K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE at Corsair, we are also given the $169.99 MSRP, at which Corsair will sell you this product directly. Venturing off of the Corsair website for pricing, we first stopped at Amazon. Here we saw the pricing is the same as the MSRP, it comes with free shipping, and has Corsair listed as the seller, but as this is written, they are on pre-order status. Looking at Newegg, we again find the same price point, again with free shipping, but this time, you are limited to buy only two per customer. So no matter where you go to find the K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE, the pricing is all the same, and from what we can tell of this keyboard, it may be what you have needed all along, you just never knew until Corsair offered up a mechanical keyboard with the switches to know the difference.

PRICING: You can find the Corsair K70 RGB RAPIDFIRE Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link below to see real-time pricing for the best deal:

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